Why don't movies look like *movies* anymore?

[Kain]

I thought I was the only one who noticed this. Here are two videos on the topic. Anyone else agree?

 

[antcollinet]

Notification about “External YouTube Video Link Dropping”

Forum Wide Notification: We are strongly discouraging random YouTube and similar “Video links” being posted without some detailed type of description as to what you want to highlight, or what you think is important to our community. Another words, what in the video do you want to...

www.audiosciencereview.com

 

[EERecordist]

Both videos are from the cinematographer viewpoint. The cinematographer works with production design, costuming, and the lighting director to record an intentional "look" to support the creative intent of the director. Their complaint is flat lighting which allows green screen-chromakey compositing of digital effects. They don't like flat lighting, they like high-contrast lighting.

Times change, the equipment changes, and taste changes. We have different lenses. Film has a specific set of dynamic range and color management options designed by Kodak. Digital cameras are different, but you can make them look like film in post. Video has similar compression choices to be made. Is it going to be color managed to sRGB, 709, DCI-P3, Rec 2020, and dynamic range managed to HDR10, HDR10+, HLG, Dolby Vision. What are the smart settings on the home display? On compression, streaming services will have parallel bit rates available, and the server and playback device will negotiate based on loss. What happens if the viewer is watching it on a phone, or pad. What is the capability of that?

Somehow in the cinematography world, Wicked has become disliked. It is a musical, shot outdoors, with a large cast. It has a lot of wide shots which don't lend themselved to high contrast lighting, and you can't cut those to closeups with a different look. It takes place in daytime. It is not a film noir.

It is sort of like saying we should go back to carbon microphones, tubes, and magnetic tape for every recording and distribute on vinyl 78s.

 

[ta240]

It is sort of like saying we should go back to carbon microphones, tubes, and magnetic tape for every recording and distribute on vinyl 78s.

Not exactly. Much of what was said has to do with lighting specific areas of the shot. The equivalent in audio would be a bit like getting rid of sound proof studios so we can hear the background sounds of the neighborhood to show us 'more'. Microphones can pick up all sorts of sounds (and perhaps even better now) but musicians and producers choose just what sounds to present to you. Good audio gives you just what they want you to hear and good cinematography gives you just what they want you to focus on. It is a valid argument that some movies aren't suited for that but many are. The same way background and room sounds can work in some audio recordings but you wouldn't want to hear people walking around the room during most.

 

[ta240]

I thought I was the only one who noticed this. Here are two videos on the topic. Anyone else agree?

I stumbled on that awhile back and thought it was quite interesting. I think good cinematography can be as engrossing as a good story. I've often been fascinated by how really low budget movies are easy to spot in just a few seconds; even when I can't put my finger on exactly what is off. The lighting, the angles, the audio, the transitions, the editing all create a feeling.